Iran to wait for WHO approval on Russia's COVID-19 vaccine before negotiating deal

Having shown interest in Russia's COVID-19 vaccine, Iran has announced that it will wait for the vaccine to get approval from the international community. According to reports, Iran said on Tuesday, August 18 that it will hold the deal regarding the purchase of the Russian vaccine until the World Health Organisation (WHO) approves the drug.

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Hold off on buying Russia's COVID-19 vaccine

As per reports, a member of Iran’s anti-COVID unit has stated that the Islamic Republic will wait for the international community, including the World Health Organisation, to give its approval to the Russian vaccine that was announced last week before it could approve its use in the country.

Earlier last week, Russia shocked the world as announced that it has successfully developed a COVID-19 vaccine that promised ‘sustainable immunity’ and was in the final stages of human trials. Russia is the first country to have made such a claim and has raised alarm over the safety of the drug as many other potential vaccine trails are far from conclusion. 

According to reports, Iran will negotiate the deal with Russia only after the vaccine gets the necessary approval. Iran is one of the worst affected countries in the Middle East amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as per John Hopkins coronavirus resource centre, the country has reported 347,835 positive coronavirus cases to date with a death toll of 19,972.

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COVID-19 Worldwide

The coronavirus pandemic which saw its first outbreak in a wet market in Wuhan, China last year has now spread all across the world. The virus, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation, has infected over 22 million people worldwide with the global death toll reaching 782,796.

As per the John Hopkins coronavirus resource centre, the United States has reported a total of at least 5.6 million positive virus cases and has a death toll of over 174,00. The US currently has the highest number of reported cases in the world, making it the epicentre of the virus.

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